Trainer Bryan Guy is hopeful Brave Gal can deliver Matthew Palmer his first winner since the star apprentice recently ended speculation on his riding future when the pair combine at Doomben.Palmer, 22, returned home to Queensland for family reasons last month and has decided to continue to base himself on the Gold Coast where his indentures have been transferred to trainer Bruce Hill.Palmer spent 10 months riding in Sydney where he was runner-up to Peter Wells in the Sydney apprentices' title la
Trainer Bryan Guy is hopeful Brave Gal can deliver Matthew Palmer his first winner since the star apprentice recently ended speculation on his riding future when the pair combine at Doomben.
Palmer, 22, returned home to Queensland for family reasons last month and has decided to continue to base himself on the Gold Coast where his indentures have been transferred to trainer Bruce Hill.
Palmer spent 10 months riding in Sydney where he was runner-up to Peter Wells in the Sydney apprentices' title last season before he decided to return home.
Brave Gal, who tackles the Onesteel Reinforcing Maiden (1110m), produced a tidy debut when runner-up to Magic Procession in a 1000-metre Maiden at Eagle Farm on September 24.
Palmer has only ridden twice for the Guy stable for a win and a third but many more rides might be ahead if he's successful on Brave Gal.
"Matt has had only two rides for me for a win and a third but he's a good young rider and I hope to use him more often whenever the chance comes along while he still has an allowance," Guy said.
Palmer, who still intends commuting to ride in Sydney when meetings don't clash with Brisbane, has 15 wins remaining before he forfeits his 1.5kg claim.
He has set himself a goal of outriding his allowance before finishing his apprenticeship and then concentrating on the Brisbane jockeys' premiership.
Guy believes Palmer's claim could be a winning edge for Brave Gal.
"She's only a small filly and Matt's claim will help her a lot," Guy said.
"She should be hard to beat again with the good draw (barrier three) and she's got a lot of natural speed."
Meanwhile, Palmer will also be looking for early success for Hill aboard Grungle in the Gregory's Transport Plate (1350m).
Grungle has been placed twice from nine starts and was a last-start fourth in a 1400-metre Maiden at the Gold Coast on September 27.
Hill returned to training 18 months ago after a stint as Gerald Ryan's foreman when he had stables on the Gold Coast.
Palmer, who has signed a three-month contract to ride for Hill, is due to come out of his time next month but is hopeful of being granted an extension.
Palmer only started riding four years ago and won the Gold Coast apprentices' title in his first season before finishing third in the Brisbane apprentices' premiership to Ric McMahon in 2005-06.
He missed most of the next season when he was sidelined with a broken neck for 10 months following a Doomben fall.